VinFast

VinFast is back in the news with issues, this time related to its planned factory in North Carolina. The Vietnamese automaker recently announced that its 2024 opening date would be pushed back to 2025 but offered no explanation or details other than to call it a “procedural delay.”

After delays, layoffs, and less-than-perfect initial reviews, VinFast has finally delivered its first vehicles to U.S. customers. The automaker announced that 45 new VF 8 City Edition EVs made it to customers at nine locations across California, a small portion of the 999 vehicles it imported. 

Autoblog has a report via Reuters suggesting that VinFast will make its first U.S. deliveries the day after tomorrow.

VinFast has had a bumpy ride on its way to selling vehicles in the United States, with layoffs and delays making headlines more than the EVs themselves. At least one thing has gone the company’s way, however, as it recently got a permit it needed to start construction on a North Carolina factory.

Building on yesterday’s report from Chris about hiccups in VinFast delivery, we bring news that the fledgling automaker is laying off numerous employees whilst also folding Canadian operations into its American business. Its chief financial officer also apparently flew the coop.

VinFast can’t seem to make up its mind about how, when, and for how much to sell its vehicles. Recently, the automaker announced that the first round of U.S.-bound vehicles had left its home country of Vietnam. That was after it backtracked on a decision to sell vehicles with a battery subscription instead of pricing them outright. Most recently, Automotive News reported that VinFast is holding onto the 999 vehicles it shipped here last year for software updates. 

VinFast, a Vietnamese electric-vehicle maker, made waves in America before any of its vehicles are even on sale. The company’s debut announcement outlined a novel battery leasing program that involved confusing pricing and terms, but it later backed away from that plan. It’s not done fiddling with numbers just yet, however, as the automaker announced a new promotions program to help it compete against EV market leader Tesla.

Those of you with yer ears to the ground will know the Vietnamese company behind VinFast has its hands in many pies. In addition to cars, the VinGroup encompasses endeavors like VinHomes real estate, VinPearl resorts, and VinCom shopping malls.

We hope they get into petroleum and call it VinDiesel.

But with two EVs on offer and plans for an all-electric future, it’s unlikely they will. At CES, they have introduced two new models as well: the VF6 and VF7.

VinFast, the Vietnamese automotive startup that showcased five electric vehicles at this year’s Consumer Electronics Show (CES), has said it’ll be expanding the lineup planned for North America. With midsize offerings already slated for export, the company used the Los Angeles Auto Show to show off the subcompact VF6 and compact VF7 – adding that it’ll also be shipping those units our way for the 2024 model year.

Hello from sunny Southern California. You may notice a later-than-usual posting schedule today and tomorrow as we work our way through the LA Auto Show -- we're sorta working on West Coast time.

Which brings me to the QOTD -- what debut from this show has you perking up?

At the dawn of automobiles, there were tremendously more brands from which to choose in America than there are today. With the rapid transition to all things electric, new companies are sprouting up faster than dandelions on your author’s lawn. Rivian, Lucid, Tesla – actually, when Tesla is the newest company in a particular group of examples, you know the landscape is changing rapidly.

Next out of the gate? A company from Vietnam called VinFast. Last night at CES, they hauled the covers off five different EVs, all of them shaped like crossovers ranging in size from S to XXL.